‘‘The message is that we will cooperate with the regional council and activists in order to return calm to the city’s streets and restore constitutional order,’‘ Rudiak said.

Describing themselves as the city’s ‘auto-defence’, the group’s leaders said they had no other choice other than to take control.

‘‘There is nobody who is not afraid, but given the situation we had to do something, we had to take charge in order to return calm to the streets. We had to take things into our own hands as the police cannot help us,’‘ said one vigilante.

Earlier this week several hundred anti-government protesters stormed Lviv’s interior ministry offices and police headquarters, setting them alight, as well as seizing a large cache of weapons and ammunition.

In all some 500 guns were reportedly stolen, which still remain unaccounted for. Around 30 people were hurt in the violent raid.